A quasi-experimental approach to determining success criteria for ICT projects

Abstract

Since the 1960's many authors accepted the triple constraints (time, cost, specification) as a standard measure of success and this still appears to be extremely important in evaluating the success of ICT projects. However, a project cannot always be seen as a complete success or a complete failure. Moreover, the parties involved may perceive the terms "success" or "failure" differently. The authors have set up a quasiexperiment (gaming) in order to determine the criteria used by the different parties involved to judge the success of an ICT project. The results of this quasiexperiment were analysed using both linear and nonlinear techniques (e.g. general linear models and probabilistic feature models for frequency data - PMD-models). This research indicates that the impact of the triple constraints on the judgment of success is rather small. Other criteria, as there are user happiness and financial or commercial success are far more important. Furthermore, parties who's involvement ceases after the handover tend to concentrate more on budget and satisfying the parties involved, while the other parties concentrate more on time, specifications and financial or commercial success, which is a long-term criterion.